Mock Draft 1.0: Panthers shock the world! Raiders get steal of the draft?

During the off-season, one of the most exciting storylines in the NFL is the upcoming NFL Draft which is always in late April. The idea of teams replenishing their rosters with a new crop of young talent is exciting and adding these new young faces to the league is refreshing. With the start of free agency right around the corner, we wanted to make our first mock draft of the off-season here at JK Football. A quick disclaimer, there are mock trades we made ourselves to add to the realism as there are usually many trades on draft night.

1. Jacksonville Jaguars select Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson: The Jags kick off the draft with a no brainer, selecting Clemson's stud QB Trevor Lawrence. We've been waiting for Lawrence to make it to the NFL since he graduated high school a couple years back because everyone knows he is a generational talent at the QB position. The Jags will not have to search for this position again for at least a decade.

2. New York Jets select Zach Wilson, QB, BYU: The draft really opens at pick 2 with the Jets who could go a number of ways here, however, we've seen Sam Darnold for 3 years now and he hasn't really showed much promise or improvement, so the Jets with their new HC Robert Saleh decide to part ways with him and draft Wilson. Wilson is a polarizing talent. He can make all the throws and reminded me a little of Patrick Mahomes last season at BYU with the arm talent he possesses. I think this is another QB that is going to be a bona-fide stud at the next level. Gang Green is now set at QB.

3. Miami Dolphins (via past trade with HOU) select Ja'Marr Chase, WR, LSU: With a young QB that the team sees as their franchise QB in rising second year player Tua Tagovailoa, the Fins' know they must do everything they can to help him succeed and not fall into bust territory. By selecting Chase here at pick 3, the Fins' are really hooking Tua up. Chase has all the makings of a WR1 at the next level and shouldn't be ranked lower than some of the other wideouts in the class just because of recency bias. Chase is the top pass catcher in the draft and the Fins' quickly snag him here at 3. 

4. Atlanta Falcons select Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State: A potential trade down spot, but I think in the end, Atlanta will fall in love with Justin Fields in the pre-draft process. He has all the makings of the next star QB in the NFL with his dual-threat ability and a good arm. He just has some technical issues that he needs to be coached upon (like working through his progressions). While the Falcons still have Matt Ryan playing at a high level, he is no longer the long term answer for this team and since they are usually relatively competitive, they won't be drafting this high again for who knows how long, snag your franchise QB now and have him learn for years before throwing him into the fire.

5. Cincinnati Bengals select Penei Sewell, Tackle, Oregon: This is another no brainer selection. The Bengals struck gold in the form Joe Burrow at the top of last year's draft, now they have to protect him to ensure he doesn't get hurt again like he did this season. I am not a Bengals fan but I'm happy to see them finally with their guy at QB with a talent like Burrow, and drafting Sewell to protect him makes me even happier. Even though he opted out of last season at Oregon, Sewell was dominant the season before so much so he received Heisman votes...as an O-lineman. That's unheard of and if he's coached up correctly, could be an elite offensive lineman. Trevor Lawrence and Penei Sewell are the two players in this draft that have a chance to be generational players, most drafts don't even have one of these kind of players.

6. Philadelphia Eagles select DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama: After a whirlwind start to this off-season, the dust is finally settling in Philly as they prepare for FA and the draft with Jalen Hurts as their potential future at the QB position. What better way to help out the young QB then by drafting him a stud WR1 option at pick 6? Smith is coming off possibly the best college football receiving season ever in which he won the Heisman and his team won the National Championship. Smith has game breaking speed and change of direction and despite being a bit undersized has me sold that he and Jalen Hurts will be one of the top QB/WR duos in the NFL for years to come.

7. Detroit Lions select Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama: Back-to-back Alabama WR's are off the board as the Lions go for Jaylen Waddle. With a new era dawning in Detroit under Dan Campbell with Jared Goff as their QB, the team needs to give him some guys to throw to if they want a chance to be successful. Bracing for the potential losses of top WR's Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones Jr. in free agency, the Lions snag Waddle here to be a surefire weapon for Goff regardless of what happens with the other 2 receivers. My personal prediction is the team franchise tags Golladay and drafts Waddle, giving Jared Goff a great one-two punch at WR. Waddle has game breaking speed and I compare him to the likes of Tyreek Hill.

MOCK TRADE: Houston Texans send QB Deshaun Watson to Carolina Panthers for pick #8 + Carolina's 2022 & 2023 1st-round picks + RB Christian McCaffrey

8. (Via mock trade with CAR) Houston Texans select Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State: Boom! The Panthers and Texans pull off the biggest trade in NFL history that sends 3 first round picks and superstar RB Christian McCaffrey to the Texans in return for Deshaun Watson to Carolina. Carolina is a team rumored to be very interested in Watson and I think they have one of the more aggressive front offices in the NFL so they pull off this move. With their newly acquired first rounder at pick 8, the Texans instantly pivot to their next franchise QB by selecting NDSU's Trey Lance. Lance is am intriguing prospect who showed off at a lesser competition level which was NDSU. He is rising up draft boards quickly because of his dual-threat ability and his decision making as a passer. I think he has great potential to become close to as good as Watson has become in Houston. Following the biggest trade in NFL history, the Texans grab Lance to replace Watson. 

MOCK TRADE: New York Giants send pick #11 + pick #107 (rd. 4) + 2022 6th rd pick to Denver Broncos for pick #9

9. (Via mock trade with DEN) New York Giants select Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida: Back-to-back (mock) trades as the Giants move up 2 spots to get the ultra versatile weapon that is Kyle Pitts from Florida. I have Pitts ranked as my second overall prospect in the entire draft, so the fact that he has fallen to 9 is amazing value here for the Giants who traded up 2 spots to ensure they could get the falling star. The Giants went into the draft hoping to secure one of the four elite pass catchers, and with three of them already gone, they couldn't risk striking out on all four, hence the trade. Pitts is too fast to be covered by the average linebacker and too big to be covered by the average defensive back. He is the definition of a match-up nightmare and should do big things in the NFL. The Giants give Daniel Jones a go to guy to see if he really is the future at QB for them, this is a make or break year for him.

10. Dallas Cowboys select Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech: While Dallas has a couple of pressing needs, none are bigger than at the cornerback position in my opinion. Caleb Farley is the best corner in the draft and the Boys' are stoked to be in position to get him here at 10. Farley is still relatively new to the cornerback position but that didn't stop him from playing some elite football last season at VT. Along with actual production, Farley boasts ideal size (6'2) and speed for today's starting cornerback in the NFL. Dallas hopes to see a step up from their defense this season and it might start with getting an elite CB prospect like Farley here at 10.

11. (Via mock trade with NYG) Denver Broncos select Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama: The son of all-time great CB Patrick Surtain, his son who shares the same name, looks like he has a chance to be that good as well. Denver has a number of gaping holes and look to be still pretty far away from really contending, have no bigger hole than the CB spot. Enter Surtain, who looks like he could be one of the rare press-man shutdown corners that we only see a handful of coming into the league every few years. Him and Farley who went one slot ahead are really CBs 1A and 1B in this class and so Denver is glad to have Surtain. A smart trade down as they knew they would still get one of the top 2 corners while adding extra draft capital. 

12. San Fransisco 49ers select Rashawn Slater, Tackle/Guard, Northwestern: I think the Niners will attempt to move up for one of the top 4 QB's in this draft but none of the teams ahead really budge so the Niners stay put at 12 and go for a guy that they can lock in on the o-line for the next decade. Slater has really gained a lot of hype so far this off-season and some even say he is the best O-lineman in the draft. Slater showed throughout his college career he could play any position on the line and do it at a high level. The Niners are likely to lose All-Pro tackle Trent Williams and so with Slater falling into their laps at 12, they can't pass him up. Don't believe that he's good? Turn on his tape against Ohio State from two years ago where he completely took reigning defensive rookie of the year Chase Young out of the game...

MOCK TRADE: Los Angeles Chargers send pick #13 to Baltimore Ravens for tackle Orlando Brown + pick #131 (rd. 4)

13. (Via mock trade with LAC) Baltimore Ravens select Gregory Rousseau, EDGE, Miami: The trades have really started to happen here as another blockbuster deal goes down. The Ravens trade disgruntled stud left tackle Orlando Brown to the Chargers for their early first rounder here at 13. I like the move a lot for both sides, especially LA who gets their reigning offensive rookie of the year QB Justin Herbert his blindside protector locked in for the next ten years. Sadly for the Ravens, trading up this far still doesn't help them out too much as a lot of positions they would need have seen the top players already go. However, Gregory Rousseau is still there for the taking at 13 and with pass rush seemingly becoming a big need in Baltimore, they snag the potential All-Pro rusher and hope that their elite coaching staff can get him to his full potential. When we last saw Rousseau two years ago, he was coming off a 15+ sack season. 

14. Minnesota Vikings select Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan: Another team in a really interesting spot is Minnesota as they are not super close to contending in my opinion and could go many ways with their early first round selection. I know that defensive minded HC Mike Zimmer loves his edge rushers and so I think the Vikings will go with Paye here after falling in love with him in the pre-draft process. He is just scratching the surface at defensive end and brings freakish athleticism to the position that could help him develop into a top rusher in the league.

15. New England Patriots select Mac Jones, QB, Alabama: The fifth QB is off the board in the first fifteen picks of the draft. Wild stuff. Mac Jones has been gaining some hype as of late and some have him as a lock to go in the top 10. I like Jones but think people need to pump the breaks a bit, he had the best supporting cast in the country. That's not to say he isn't a talented prospect but you just have to put things into perspective. Jones reminds me of a poor mans Tom Brady so maybe he really could work in New England. You absolutely need to find some weapons to give Jones but you can sign them and get them in later rounds. I like this fit a lot and would be excited to see what Bill Belichick can do with this young QB. 

16. Arizona Cardinals select Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina: Before the signing of JJ Watt, I think I would have had the Cards go EDGE with this pick, but now they have Watt, so Horn is the pick. Jaycee Horn is the third and final of the CBs I feel super confident about in this draft, the other two Farley and Surtain already went. Horn is coming off a really quality season where he produced and showed off his elite physicality at the CB spot. He also is an ideal 6'1 for the position with speed. I think he is a top 10 prospect in the class and so getting him here at 16 is a snipe for the Cards. The offense is already elite but the defense is what is holding this team back from contending. After adding JJ Watt to help out Chandler Jones on the D-line and pairing Horn with Budda Baker and Byron Murphy, I'm not so sure we can brush by this Cardinals team anymore...

17. Las Vegas Raiders select Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State: This could be the steal of the draft right here. Pegged a top 5 talent in the draft going into this season, Parsons has fallen from grace after questions about his character have surfaced. Now, his draft range is all over the place. I think he falls in the draft but the Raiders are ecstatic when he is there for them all the way at 17. Parsons can do everything on defense, he is the ultimate chess piece. He can cover and rush from many different places on the field. Think of players like Isaiah Simmons, Derwin James, or even Jamal Adams. Jon Gruden loves to take high risk, high reward chances like this and with serious help needed on their defense, he would be so excited to be able to add a talent like Parsons.

18. Miami Dolphins select Alijah Vera-Tucker, Guard/Tackle, USC: What a first round this would be for Miami. After securing Tua Tagovailoa his WR1 with Ja'Marr Chase at pick 3, they can snag his best O-lineman for the future here at 18. AVT here at 18 is another steal. He is the only guard I would call elite in this draft class and seems to me like he will almost certainly be an All-Pro guard at the next level. AVT can also play any position on the line, even tackle, which he showed he could play at an elite level as well this season for the Trojans. Super talented player, super versatile player. The Dolphins have aced this first round. 

19. Washington Football Team selects Christian Darrisaw, Tackle, Virginia Tech: Despite all the uncertainty of who will be under center for the Football Team next season, they go with an offensive tackle instead of addressing the QB position. This might be a bridge year for the FB team and so why reach on a QB when there are no more first round caliber ones left when you could snag a potential plug and play tackle who will be locked into your o-line for the next decade? Darrisaw is coming off an unbelievable final season at Tech in which he showed he is ready to start right away at the next level. I think the Football Team has finally found their Trent Williams replacement. 

20. Chicago Bears select Kadarius Toney, WR, Florida: In a similar position as the Football Team, the Bears go with the electric Kadarius Toney since their are no QB's worth taking here. Whether they lose Allen Robinson or not, their next QB will need more weapons. I think the Bears also are more likely to lose Robinson than not making this pick even more pressing of a need. Toney is one of the most exciting players in this draft. He is so fast and changes direction like no one since NFL legend Dante Hall (who was nicknamed the human joystick). He is an excellent route runner on top of his crazy athleticism. I think people will wonder why Toney didn't have more hype coming into this draft when they see what he does in Chicago year 1 after being paired with offensive minded HC Matt Nagy.

21. Indianapolis Colts select Samuel Cosmi, Tackle, Texas: The Colts are such a well rounded team and don't have many big needs, however, tackle might be their only one and they address it with this pick. Samuel Cosmi has amazing physical traits to be a stud tackle at the next level and even is coming off of a great season at Texas where he showed he could do it at a high level week in and week out. With the retirement of Anthony Castonzo, the Colts need a tackle to replace him and Cosmi will be the guy. Carson Wentz is really set up to succeed here in Indy. 

22. Tennessee Titans select Jaelan Phillips, EDGE, Miami: The second Miami Hurricanes edge rusher of the first round is off the board with Phillips to Music City. Phillips is a top tier athlete and when Rousseau opted out of last season, some thought Phillips would be in line for a bad season due to becoming the number 1 pass rusher on the team and facing opposing offenses' best O-lineman. That was the opposite of the case as Phillips turned in a monster seasons where he had 8 sacks and really showed the impact he can have as a teams best pass rusher. While the scheme fit might not be amazing in Tennessee, he is the best rusher available and the Titans are absolutely desperate for sack production. This is a high risk pick as the fit might not work out but the Titans are willing to take that risk with the upside Phillips brings.

23. New York Jets (via past trade with SEA) select Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue: With the Jets second 1st-round pick, they elect to give their first 1st-round pick another weapon. Zach Wilson is going to be their QB of the future after selecting him at pick 2, so surrounding him with a better supporting cast than they did with Sam Darnold is absolutely key to his success. Rondale Moore is a very intriguing prospect. He is like a little human wrecking ball with the ball in his hands and can make some crazy moves in the open field and in the yards after catch game. He boasts great hands and 4.3 speed. The downsides to him are he is often injured and is just 5'9 though he plays a lot bigger than that. NY is banking on him staying healthy because if he does, this pick will be considered a steal as Zach Wilson gets a go-to receiver here.

MOCK TRADE: Pittsburgh Steelers send pick #24 to Cleveland Browns for pick #26 + pick #91 (rd. 3) 

24. (Via mock trade with PIT) Cleveland Browns select Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame: The Steelers don't have a player they feel worth taking at 24 and so they move back two slots and pick up a third rounder in the process. A pretty nice move for them if you ask me. The Browns are willing to give up the third for just moving up a mere two slots because of how much they like JOK. The Browns only glaring need is LB in my opinion and JOK is easily a top 15 prospect in the draft who has fallen far. This kid can do everything. He can be moved all around the box and can even play safety if needed. Since it is hard to determine his true position, he falls a bit in the draft but it really benefits the Browns who trade ahead of Jacksonville to secure him here at 24. Cleveland keeps adding top notch young talent to their roster.

25. Jacksonville Jaguars (via past trade with LAR) select Christian Barmore, DT, Alabama: After getting the player of a generation at pick 1, the Jags couldn't screw this draft up with anything now, but they could make their draft class even better by snagging Barmore out of Bama. There was a lot of hype for him coming into this season and he started off slow but was instrumental in their championship run at the end of the season. This might be the best player available and with many holes on the roster, getting a premier player on the d-line could be a big get for JAX as Barmore makes the players around him better.

26. (Via mock trade with CLE) Pittsburgh Steelers select Teven Jenkins, Tackle, Oklahoma State: After trading down only two spots to pick up an extra third-rounder, the Steelers get the guy they would have taken anyway at 24. Jenkins showed throughout his time at OK. State that he has the potential to be an elite tackle. He plays with grit and violence and has the physical traits NFL teams love to see at tackle. He also has experience at guard and so this pick is great for Pittsburgh because they are set to lose multiple starters all over the O-line and can put Jenkins wherever they need him most. This is a good pick for a team still in win-now mode.

27. Baltimore Ravens select Terrace Marshall Jr., WR, LSU: After trading with the Chargers and snagging a good edge rusher at pick 13, the Ravens go with the opposite side of the ball here at 27. Marshall is everything Baltimore is looking for in a pass catcher right now. They need a big target who Lamar Jackson can lob the ball to with his spotty arm but it's also just a bonus that Marshall happens to also have elite speed for his size. He was LSU's no. 1 target this season with Ja'Marr Chase opting out and he took advantage. In just 7 games, Marshall was getting over 100 yards a game on average and had double digit TD totals along with showing he could dominate out wide or in the slot. This would be a huge add for Baltimore as it makes their offense a bit less one-dimensional. 

28. New Orleans Saints select Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa: The Saints future is not looking too bright right now. They are in complete salary cap hell. They are currently about $100 million over the cap and will need to make some tough cuts this off-season to figure things out. No position group is weaker for them right now than LB so they snag Tulsa's Zaven Collins here. One of the most versatile, intriguing players in the entire draft, Collins can play all over the defense. He is classified as a MLB technically but at 6'4, 260 lbs he is much much bigger than most players at the position. However he still has the speed and plays that spot well but can also play on the D-line if needed and rush the passer. Collins has the opportunity to be an absolute x-factor in the NFL and the Saints would love to add a player like him with the headaches they are currently facing.

MOCK TRADE: Green Bay Packers send pick #29 to Atlanta Falcons for pick #35 (rd. 2) + pick #68 (rd. 3) + 2022 7th round pick

29. (Via mock trade with GB) Atlanta Falcons select Najee Harris, RB, Alabama: The Falcons pay a pretty penny to move back into the first round for the chance at drafting Najee Harris out of 'Bama. After getting their QB of the future at pick 4, the Falcons go for their RB of the future in Harris. New HC Arthur Smith was hired because of his success running Tennessee's offense for the past few seasons. That success was all predicated on having elite RB Derrick Henry at his disposal. Now running his offense that is so run-heavy in Atlanta, he is going to need an RB to do it with. Why not get Najee Harris who is the closest player I've seen to Derrick Henry since Derrick Henry. Harris isn't the most athletic but can truck through almost anyone and has crazy good hands for a power back. Think Derrick Henry but with hands! I love this fit and I think the price to pay for trading up is worth it.

30. Buffalo Bills select Nick Bolton, LB, Missouri: I was having a hard time deciding between four possible players here (2 corners, Bolton, or an RB) but in the end I think LB is their biggest need so they go Bolton. With Matt Milano possibly on his way out in free agency, LB which was already a team need, is now an even greater one with the potential loss of Milano. Bolton is a great prospect who is pretty underrated in my opinion. He has a high motor, plays great zone coverage, and is a thumper! He is also shows great leadership on and off the field which is a staple in Buffalo's positive culture. Bolton to Buffalo is a great fit and should help bring this defense back to it's 2019-20 form in which it was more dominant.

31. Kansas City Chiefs select Trey Smith, Guard/Tackle, Tennessee: The Chiefs are a pretty hard team to pick for as they obvious don't have many huge needs on their roster. However, the O-line can be improved and I'm sure they will go that route after their line was flat out embarrassed in the Super Bowl. Smith is about as resilient of a player as you will see, his football career was in danger of being over a couple years back when he had blood cots but he got through it and produced at a high level year in and year out for the Vols. Smith is huge at 6'6, 325 for a guard and so he can also play tackle. He has great character and with his versatility for the Chiefs to put him wherever they need on the line, this is a match made in heaven.

32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers select Joe Tryon, EDGE, Washington: The defending Super Bowl champs head into an off-season where they have a ton of big impact players hitting free agency. None may be bigger than elite edge rusher Shaq Barrett who could command a ton of money and possibly be out of Tampa. While I think they will find a way to get him back, edge is still a need. Jason Pierre-Paul is aging and the Bucs could use some extra juice off the edge. Tyron is a hulking presence on the exterior of the D-line at 6'5, 250 lbs. His build is something to get teams excited about along with the fact that he has great production at the collegiate level. Had he not opted out of this season, he could be considered the EDGE1 of this class. I think this is more of a pick for the future but it could be a major steal.

JKFOOTBALL top available prospects after RD1: Travis Etienne/RB, Trevon Moehrig/S, Tyson Campbell/CB, Asante Samuel/CB, Javonte Williams/RB, Rashod Bateman/WR, Elijah Moore/WR